The EFF's Nationwide Shutdown which took place on March 20th 2023, was mostly peaceful as there were a few to no violent incidents as a result of the protest.
Although no violent events occurred, several local businesses in and around communities/villages such as Makhubung in Mahikeng; were shut down as a means of defence against experiencing the violence. This is due to the "July Riots/South African Unrest” which took place in 2021.
"Unlike loadshedding, which has become everyone's daily hardship, I was able to get to work without any difficulties or violence at all during the shutdown. If I am to compare the EFF's shutdown and the loadshedding that we regularly encounter, I would argue that loadshedding is worse because it disrupts everyday life and slows down output of both our work and people's personal lifestyles,” said a community member of Makhubung village.
A Makhubung supermarket owner told Mo Media that loadshedding has had a significant negative impact on his business, but the EFF’s national shutdown had a greater impact because on the day, the business was closed to avoid being attacked. This resulted in a loss of profit which was a setback for the local business.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF)’s national shutdown march prevented street vendors in the Mahikeng CBD from operating, and they claimed that the party's demonstrations had negatively impacted their businesses. A woman who claimed that she did not even make a cent during the shutdown, said that the protest had a negative impact on her because she did not make any money. "I did not make any cent during the shutdown, I always come up with something for my family but that time did not. Now I also sell vegetables from home,” she said.
One of the photographers, who also work at the CBD, also stated that the shutdown really impacted them negatively as they were expecting people to pass by at town since it was a public holiday. “The EFF could have protested without forcing businesses to close their doors,” expressed the photographer.
